The Pieces In Between
by purplepjs
Summary: Companion fic for The Rest of the Pieces. A Series of one-shots spanning the fifteen years between Chapter 39 and the Epilogue. Mainly Phoenix/Maya. Some other pairings included.
1. All My Girls

**A/N: I half wrote this one last night in a hurry, hoping to get it finished so that I could post last night, but now I'm glad that I didn't. I've worked on it again today and I think it's much better than it would have been if I had rushed it up.**

**I've made mention of the time frame as these one-shots are going to jump around a bit in my fifteen year gap. Think of them like little snapshots. **

**Enjoy.**

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><p><em>Timeframe: Seven years after Ch.39, Roughly one week post AJ.<em>

Trucy kicked her legs absently as she watched her father. Phoenix sat across from her, his calm visage betraying nothing. The perfect poker face. She chewed her bottom lip, trying her best to read his expression, but as usual, she had absolutely no idea what he was thinking.

Phoenix leaned back against the window as the train rattled along rhythmically, his beanie almost covering his eyes as a ghost of a smile graced his lips. Trucy frowned. Why wouldn't he tell her where they were going? What exactly was going on? He'd rushed her out the door that morning without any further explanation and whenever she'd asked where they were headed, he'd simply responded with "You'll find out soon enough."

Last night he had sat her down for what was probably the most serious conversation that she could ever remember them having and Trucy couldn't help but feel slightly apprehensive and a little confused about what it all meant. He'd apologised profusely, but even now she still had no idea what for. She was nervous. Her father had always been secretive, but this was on a whole new level.

* * *

><p>"Trucy, honey?" Phoenix asked. "Come over here and sit with Daddy. We need to have a talk."<p>

Trucy placed the cards that she had been practicing with down on the table and moved to join him on the couch. She eyed her father expectantly, waiting for him to speak. Phoenix sighed heavily, as if he didn't quite know where to begin.

"Trucy…" he started before trailing off again. "Damn, this is hard," he muttered to himself.

"Daddy?" Trucy asked. "This isn't about the birds and the bees, is it? Because you don't have to worry, I already learned that at school."

"Err… no. It's not," Phoenix said, frowning. Surely she was a little young to be learning about that kind of stuff at school. But it was a relief to learn that he didn't have to have _that_ conversation with her. He couldn't think of anything worse.

"Well then, what is it Daddy?" Trucy asked, her blue eyes wide as she watched her usually calm and collected father struggle to find the right words.

"We're going on a little trip tomorrow," Phoenix said finally.

Trucy grinned, clasping her hands together.

"Ooh! Where are we going? Is Polly coming too?"

"No, honey, it's just you and I. I'm taking you somewhere very important. It's… well… it's somewhere special." Phoenix replied.

"Is it like a surprise? Is that why you can't tell me?" Trucy grinned.

"…Something like that," Phoenix sighed.

She'd be surprised alright.

"Then what's wrong, Daddy?" Trucy asked, frowning. If this was a good surprise, surely he wouldn't be so nervous about it.

"Truce," he said, turning to face her as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Before tomorrow, I just have to tell you that I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I kept things from you. You'll… you'll understand what I mean when we get there tomorrow. I just… I couldn't tell you if I wanted to keep you safe. If Kristoph had thought that you knew anything he could have…"

Phoenix squeezed his eyes shut, dismissing the thought.

"But he's in jail now," he continued. "So I can finally tell you everything."

"Tell me what, Daddy?" Trucy asked, a slight pout on her lips. "Is it something bad?"

"No, of course not," Phoenix said, smiling softly. "But I don't want you to be upset that I didn't tell you. It was important that I didn't. I had to keep everyone as safe as I could."

Trucy nodded slowly as her father picked up her hand and gave it a light squeeze.

"You can't even give me a little hint?" Trucy asked, her eyes pleading.

Phoenix chuckled as he placed a kiss on his daughters forehead before standing and heading towards the stairs.

"Tomorrow."

* * *

><p>The tomorrow that he had promised had arrived, but Trucy still didn't have any more answers.<p>

Her mind started racing all over the place, jumping to a number of conclusions. Maybe her Dad was some sort of crime boss, and he was finally about to admit his sordid crime filled past. Maybe this was the day when he brought her into 'the family'. She narrowed her eyes, trying again to decipher his strange expression.

After a few fleeting thoughts about old mafia movies she decided that just couldn't be it. Her dad seemed relaxed right now, perhaps even happy. If he was coming clean about something like that, surely he wouldn't look as if he was really looking forward to reaching their destination.

On the other hand, maybe he was some sort of international super spy? And right now they were headed to some sort of secret underground facility! Trucy shook her head and mumbled softly to herself. No, that didn't make sense either. Spies lived lavish lifestyles with lots of money and fast cars. They didn't wear faded grey hoodies and scrape together the money to pay the bills playing poker at dingy nightclubs. If her dad was indeed a spy, Trucv decided that he must be deep undercover, and really good at his job. Come to think of it, crime bosses were pretty loaded as well.

"_Strike two, Trucy Wright,"_ she thought to herself.

Before she could ponder any further scenarios, the train lurched to a stop and Phoenix stood, motioning for his daughter to do the same.

"We're here," he said, straightening his beanie. He still wore that same unreadable smile. Trucy peered out the window over her father's shoulder. She didn't recognise any of her surroundings. They seemed to be close to the mountains. She didn't think there was anything even out here.

"Now can you tell me where we're going?' Trucy asked as they left the station and started making their way up a dirt road. Phoenix pointed ahead.

"There's a village at the end of this road," he explained, without really explaining at all. "That's where we're going."

Trucy nodded. That was hardly informative, but at least she now knew where they were headed. It was the why that was still a mystery.

"Does this place have something to do with why you're sorry?" Trucy asked.

Phoenix sighed, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"Yes it does," he replied.

"I still don't understand, Daddy." Trucy said, frowning lightly.

"You will."

* * *

><p>After ten minutes of walking, the pair reached the main gates. They were wide open, almost like a silent welcome to anyone who happened to pass by. Trucy looked around her in awe at the quaint Japanese style village. This place was amazing! If her Dad had known about this place, why hadn't he taken her here before?<p>

She spun around in a circle, taking in her surroundings. The village seemed to branch off in all directions and was much larger than it looked from the gates. People in strange looking clothes bustled around, openly staring as she and her father headed further into the village. Some people even nodded in greeting at her dad, indicating that they knew him. He definitely must have been here before.

Phoenix came to a halt before what appeared to be the largest and most impressive looking building in the village. Trucy nearly knocked herself over, bumping into him as she continued to gawk at her surroundings.

"This is it," Phoenix said, smiling up at the grand structure.

Trucy looked up at the building before them.

"What is it, Daddy?"

"That..." Phoenix began, "...is Fey Manor."

Something clicked in Trucy's mind upon hearing that name. Fey… Fey… that name was familiar somehow. It was then that she remembered where she had seen it. The packages that kept arriving for her father! The Steel Samurai DVD's. They came from someone with that name. They had to be from someone that he knew here.

"Mister Nick!"

Phoenix turned, grinning as a girl who looked to be about Trucy's age called out from further up the street. She tackled Phoenix in a giant hug as Trucy looked on, slightly confused.

"Hey Pearls!" Phoenix said happily. "Ease up a little, I can't breathe here."

"I'm so sorry Mister Nick!" the girl said, pulling back with a sheepish grin. "Oh!" she cried, turning towards Trucy. "You must be Trucy!"

"Trucy, this is Pearl," Phoenix said motioning to the strangely dressed girl. "You two are about the same age."

Pearl lunged toward Trucy, hugging her tightly just as she had Phoenix.

"I've heard so much about you, Trucy!" Pearl grinned. Trucy hugged the girl back, unable to hold back her own grin. This was quite the welcome.

Pearl stepped back, grinning again at Phoenix as she bounced on the spot.

"I'll go tell Mystic Maya that you're here. I can't believe you're actually here! It's been months!" Pearl grinned before turning and heading into the grand building.

Whoever this Mystic Maya was, Trucy thought, she must be in there somewhere.

Phoenix glanced down at Trucy, still grinning.

"I think Pearl likes you," he said.

"I think so!" Trucy laughed. "That was quite the greeting though, Daddy. Is Pearl like that with everyone?"

"Oh no," Phoenix said, shaking his head. "Pearl is very shy. But I've told her a lot about you. She probably feels like she already knows you."

Trucy chewed her lip. He may have told Pearl a lot about her, but he hadn't told her a thing about Pearl. Maybe this was what he meant when he said he was sorry about keeping things from her. But what was so special about this Pearl? Why couldn't he have spoken about her?

"Is Pearl why you are sorry Daddy? Is she what you were talking about last night?" Trucy asked.

"She's one of the reasons, yes." Phoenix nodded, turning his attention back to the manor.

So there was more to this than just Pearl, then. Trucy grinned. This was like solving some sort of mystery. She wondered who they would meet next. She looked around again, but stopped when she noticed her father staring intently at Fey Manor again. Why didn't he just want to go inside? Was he waiting for this Mystic Maya person?

Then, like magic, her father's face lit up and a huge smile spread across his face. A tiny girl with raven hair had appeared on the porch and was taking uneasy steps in their direction. Crouching down, Phoenix grinned at the little one, holding his arms open.

The girl's eyes widened when she finally noticed Phoenix. She gasped in delight, running as fast as her little legs would take her towards his waiting embrace. He stood, lifting the girl as she latched her arms around his neck.

"Mia…" Phoenix whispered emotionally, cradling the girls head as he kissed her temple. "I've missed you so much."

Trucy watched her father, eyes wide. She had so many questions that she wasn't sure which to ask first. That little girl… it looked like… No. It couldn't be. Could it?

"Daddy, who is…" Trucy trailed off, her voice filled with wonder as she realised who she was looking at. "Is she…?"

"Trucy," Phoenix began, as he smiled down at her. "This is your sister, Mia."

Mia buried her head in Phoenix's shoulder, before peeking out shyly at Trucy. The little girl smiled cheekily before hiding her face again.

"My… my sister?" Trucy said, barely able to hold back her grin as she registered what he was saying. "Wow... you mean that she… that you…" she stammered.

Phoenix smiled again, opening his mouth to speak before he froze suddenly. Following his line of sight, Trucy saw a beautiful woman with flowing black hair, dressed in rich purple satin, staring down at her father just as he was staring up at her.

"Nick!" she cried, before running towards them just as little Mia had. "Nick, I can't believe you're here."

Trucy watched them embrace before the woman cradled her father's face in her hands, kissing him tenderly. The mystery woman began crying.

"It's all over now, Nick, isn't it?" she asked, before kissing him again. "It's over, right?"

"It's over," he nodded, touching his forehead against hers.

"Then I can finally give this back to you," she said, reaching into the pocket of her kimono. A golden object gleamed in the sunlight between her fingers. Trucy gasped when she realised what it was, as she slipped the item on to her father's ring finger.

"I'm never taking it off again," Phoenix said, smiling down at the woman who was still crying happily, clutching at his shirt.

After a moment, the woman turned towards Trucy, extending her arms.

"Oh Trucy," she said, as more tears started to flow. "I've wanted to meet you for so long. Nick has told me so much… I even snuck in to the city to watch a few of your shows!"

Trucy allowed the woman to embrace her, eyeing her father questioningly. Excitement was building within her. Her father was wearing a wedding ring. Could this really mean…?

"I never knew about that," Phoenix said, scowling lightly at the woman.

"That's because I never told you," the woman responded flatly, placing her hands on her hips as she turned back towards Phoenix. "I wanted to see my daughter perform," she finished proudly.

"Your daughter?" Trucy asked. The woman stepped back, beaming down at her as she nodded eagerly.

"Any daughter of Nick's is a daughter of mine," she said happily. Trucy turned to her father and grinned.

"Trucy, I'd like you to meet Maya." Phoenix explained. "Maya is… my wife."

"You're married?" Trucy cried. "All this time I've been begging you to find me a new mommy and you're already married?"

Phoenix nodded, a small chuckle escaping his lips.

"How long? When? Why didn't you tell me?" Trucy cried, grinning widely as stepped back towards her new mother for another hug.

"Almost four years now," Phoenix admitted, relief flooding through him at the knowledge that Trucy was more far more excited than upset. It seemed he had worried himself over nothing. He'd once again underestimated her. "You probably guessed that Mia is our daughter..."

"And Pearl?" Trucy enquired as she looked back and forth from Maya to little Mia, who still had her arms wrapped tightly around her father's neck. Trucy grinned, completely enraptured with the fact that she now unexpectedly had a complete family.

"Well, Pearls is Maya's cousin," Phoenix explained."...but her mom... err... her mom isn't here anymore. So Maya adopted her. Since Maya and I are married, technically that makes Pearl your sister as well."

Trucy let out a huge breath that she hadn't realised she had been holding. She felt like she could burst from how happy she was.

"Oh Daddy, how could you have possibly thought that I would be upset at you for something so wonderful?" Trucy smiled.

Phoenix smiled in return. He'd felt so guilty for keeping it from her, but she didn't seem to be worried about that in the slightest.

"My baby sister..." Trucy cooed as she stroked Mia's arm. "She's so beautiful! And my new mom... She looks like a princess!"

Maya laughed at Trucy's exuberant declaration. Phoenix's daughter was exactly what she had expected and she couldn't have been happier.

"I wish I could have told you years ago, Truce. I really do." Phoenix frowned apologetically. "But I couldn't risk Kristoph thinking he could use you to get information. I'd never be able to forgive myself if anyone hurt you."

"I understand, Daddy, really," Trucy said sweetly as she moved over to her father. He wrapped his free arm around her, pulling her close.

Maya stood back slightly, holding her hand over her heart. It was difficult to keep her tears under control. She had waited so long for this day, and watching Phoenix with the girls was even more amazing than she could have imagined.

"Come on you guys!" Pearl cried as she poked her head through the large wooden doors. "Mystic Maya had the chef prepare a huge feast for lunch. The food is starting to get cold!"

"We'd better get inside," Maya said with a smile, moving to take Mia from Phoenix's arms.

"No!" the little girl scolded her mother, hiding her face away in defiance. "Daddy!"

Maya chuckled to herself.

"Well I know when I'm not wanted," she laughed. "I think she missed you."

"I know the feeling," Phoenix said, patting his young daughter on the back gently.

"Well I'll meet you inside," Maya said with a smile, glancing at Trucy as she made a totally transparent exit, allowing Phoenix to have a private word with his daughter. Well, private apart from Mia, anyway.

"You okay, Truce?" Phoenix asked, squeezing her shoulder.

"Are you kidding?" Trucy grinned. "I'm just trying to take this all in. I've got sisters _and_ a mom. I don't think I can remember feeling this happy."

"_And a brother too,"_ Phoenix thought to himself. But that was something for Thalassa to explain to her on another day.

"I'm glad." Phoenix sighed. He settled Mia more comfortably on his hip before leaning down to place a kiss on Trucy's cheek. "I just didn't want you to think that you'd been replaced. I love you just as much as my own daughter. Pearls too."

"I know that, Daddy." Trucy smiled happily as she gripped her father's hand, dragging him towards the house. "Come on, let's go get some lunch. I want to hear all about Maya!"

Phoenix chuckled as he followed Trucy into Fey Manor.

All of his girls were finally together.

Phoenix felt like the luckiest man alive.


	2. The Tooth Fairy

**A/N: So many half finished stories, so little time!**

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><p>Maya opened the door to her suite and trudged inside. She yawned tiredly, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she fumbled on the wall for the light switch. Unable to find it, she grumbled to herself and reached into the pocket of her robes to find her cell phone.<p>

The illumination from the small object was enough light for her to be able to locate the dresser by the window. Making her way across the room, she placed her door card and phone down, glancing quickly at the time before exhaling heavily. It was later than she had thought.

These receptions and functions she had to attend as part of her duties as Master were growing exponentially irritating. All the pleasantries, smiles and idle conversation felt forced and faked. Of course, those smiles were most likely as fake as the people wielding them but no matter how many boring stories she heard and how many hands she shook, there still always seemed to be a long line of people who were _just dying_ to meet her. She could have sworn that she had already met half of the people that she was introduced to tonight, but maybe they were just all starting to look the same.

Lately it seemed like she had been spending more time away from the village than back home in Kurain. She felt a new level of respect for her mother for having put up with this kind of thing for so long.

Forcing the memory of the boring evening she had just endured from her mind, she moved to the window, pulling the flimsy curtain aside. A soft smile spread across her lips as her gaze settled on the familiar office block across the street. The lights were all out, but surely he wouldn't mind if she dropped in.

After all, it wasn't often that they held functions like these at the Gatewater.

* * *

><p>"C'mon Trucy." Phoenix said firmly, crossing his arms. "I'm not going to tell you again. Off to bed. Now."<p>

"But Daddy…!" the small girl whined.

"But Daddy nothing." Phoenix stated. "If you don't go to sleep the tooth fairy won't come and you won't get a single dime for that tooth you lost."

"How does she know that I lost my tooth Daddy? It only fell out an hour ago. What if it was too late? What if she's already left!" Trucy complained.

"She knows about your tooth. I already phoned her and told her to come and collect it." Phoenix reasoned. "Now bed! Scoot!"

"Are you sure, Daddy?" Trucy pouted. "The tooth fairy has missed me before. I'd be real sad if she missed me again."

Phoenix kneeled down, bringing himself to eye level with his eight year old daughter. He ruffled her hair affectionately, frowning to himself when he thought about all that this little girl had already had to endure in her short life. Shadi Enigmar had to be the worst Dad on the planet. He was getting used to the whole "dad" thing, and he couldn't believe how Shadi had got it so wrong. Especially with a doll like Trucy.

"I promise you, kiddo, that the tooth fairy will never, ever, miss you again."

Trucy grinned, flinging her arms around her father's neck.

"I love you, Daddy!"

"I love you too honey, now off to bed!" Phoenix said, giving Trucy a quick hug before ushering her up the hallway and through the door of her bedroom.

Guilt flooded through him at the twinge of sadness that he still felt every time he put Trucy to bed in this room. Although it was now littered with toys and magic props, this room had once belonged to Maya. He really, really missed her. But the absence of the former owner of this bedroom was not the fault of the little girl that lived here now. As much as it hurt not having Maya around, Phoenix knew that he had to suck it up and be the best Dad that he could be. That was what was most important right now.

Trucy scrambled up into bed, tilting her head slightly when she noticed her father still standing in the doorway looking somewhat sad.

"What's wrong Daddy?"

His daughter's squeaky voice snapped Phoenix from his thoughts. He beamed down at the little girl, moving across the room to tuck her in.

"Nothing, honey," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead as he tucked the blanket in around the little girl.

"Kiss for Mr Hat?" she exclaimed, holding her beloved wooden prop puppet up for Phoenix.

"I'm not kissing Mr Hat." Phoenix said flatly.

"But Daddy…" Trucy grumbled.

"I'll shake his hand," Phoenix compromised, taking the puppet's hand. This offer seemed to placate Trucy somewhat.

"Goodnight Mr Hat," Phoenix said in a mock serious tone as he shook the puppet's hand vigorously. "I have confidence that your sleep will be both comfortable and restful."

Trucy giggled at her father's silliness as he tucked the puppet in beside her.

"Okay, everyone is tucked in, everyone has said goodnight. Sleep now?" Phoenix asked.

"My tooth! Where is it Daddy?" Trucy cried, sitting up in her bed.

"It's on the nightstand honey, in a glass of water." Phoenix answered. "If you don't sleep the tooth fairy won't leave you any money. I'm afraid that's one of her conditions."

Trucy peered across the room to where her missing tooth sat on the nightstand. Satisfied that all was as it should be, she sank back against her pillow.

"Okay Daddy. Can't break the tooth fairy's rules," she agreed, settling into her blankets.

"That's right." Phoenix said with a nod. "Goodnight Truce," he finished, backing out of the room and flicking off the switch. "Sleep tight."

"Nite Daddy," Trucy replied, her voice already heavy with sleep.

Phoenix smiled to himself as he pulled the door closed. Trucy was a handful at times, especially at bedtime, but he didn't know what he would do without her. Taking her in was probably the best decision he had made since losing his badge.

Yawning, he ran a hand through his hair and headed up the hall to his own bedroom. After chasing Trucy around all day he could use some sleep himself.

* * *

><p>Maya slipped her key into the lock of the former Wright &amp; Co law office, turning it gingerly. She heard the lock barrel click as the door unlocked, wondering silently to herself if it had always been so loud. She gently pushed the door open and slipped inside, closing the door softly behind her. She flipped the latch to lock it once she was inside, grimacing at the loud snap as the lock fell back into place.<p>

She tiptoed across the darkened office towards the stairs. She had hoped that Phoenix would still be up watching TV, but no such luck.

She bit down hard on her lip to stifle a cry of pain when her knee collided with something hard. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness she could see that it was a small wooden card table, and what she had just knocked over was a rather elaborate house of cards.

"Oops," she whispered to herself, rubbing her knee gently as she navigated around the mess. Stumbling as she balanced on one leg, she toppled a more familiar object against the wall with a much louder crash.

"Damn it!" Maya cursed under her breath as she righted the plant that her sister and now Phoenix so lovingly cared for.

"Sorry Charley," she whispered. "Don't wake everyone up okay?" she finished, bringing her finger to her lips, instructing the plant to be silent.

After a few more careful steps, she reached the stairs and began ascending them slowly. She didn't want to risk making anymore noise. It was a miracle that she hadn't woken Trucy already and she didn't want to have to explain to her what she was doing sneaking around in the middle of the night in her father's office. That would be one heck of a first meeting.

* * *

><p>Trucy sat bolt upright in bed, roused from her sleep by a loud crash from the office below. A grin spread across her face as she realised who must have been responsible for the noise. Turning to her puppet friend, she could barely contain her excitement.<p>

"She's here!" Trucy whispered happily, throwing back the covers and bounding across to her nightstand to retrieve the glass of water containing her tooth. Gripping the glass tightly, she opened her bedroom door and peered out into the hallway.

She glanced up at her father's room, sneaking out into the hall when she confirmed that his door was still closed. Clutching her glass in both hands, she turned and headed toward the kitchen.

She gasped, her eyes widening when her gaze settled on a woman with long dark hair in flowing purple satin at the end of the hall. The tooth fairy was so beautiful! Trucy could barely get her words out as she held the glass in front of her.

"Um, excuse me? Miss tooth fairy?"

Maya turned, freezing when she saw Trucy standing in the hallway, clutching a glass of water.

"_Oh man,"_ Maya thought to herself. _"Why do I have to be so clumsy! How am I going to explain this one?"_

"You're the tooth fairy, aren't you?" Trucy questioned. "My Daddy rang you and now you've come to get my tooth, right?"

Maya took a few steps toward the little girl, who peered up at her with big blue eyes.

"You're real pretty, Miss tooth fairy. I bet my Daddy would like you." Trucy whispered, still extending the glass for Maya to examine.

"_Yes, I bet he would,"_ Maya thought wryly.

Straightening herself, Maya realised that the only way out of this was to play along with the ruse. Trucy had presented her with an opportunity and she would be crazy not to take it. She kneeled down in front of the small girl, gently taking the glass from her hands.

"I am the tooth fairy," Maya confirmed with a nod. "But kids don't usually catch me when I'm coming to collect their teeth."

"Well you were pretty noisy," Trucy shrugged. "You should be more careful."

Maya blinked a few times, trying to figure out exactly how to respond to that. Trucy was one confident little girl. Nick sure had his hands full.

"It's been a long night. I've been out collecting lots of teeth," Maya reasoned.

"Can I see them?" Trucy whispered excitedly.

"_Crap."_ Maya thought. _"Quick, Maya, think!"_

"I… err… I've actually just come from a drop off. My pockets were full so one of my worker fairies came and picked them up from me. She took them back to my… my treehouse." Maya explained quickly.

"You live in a treehouse!" Trucy gasped. "That's so cool!"

"Yes, very!" Maya agreed nervously. She had to get this kid back to bed somehow.

"You know, my Daddy told me that you wouldn't come if I didn't go to sleep but I know he was just trying to get me to go to bed." Trucy said implicitly.

Maya chuckled. She could just imagine Phoenix bargaining with this feisty little bundle to get her to go to sleep each night.

"Well usually those are my conditions, but I think for you I can make an exception." Maya smiled.

"Oh good!" Trucy grinned. "It's a good tooth, right? From right here!" Trucy said, pointing to the gap in her teeth. "How much do you think it's worth?"

Maya stood, angling the glass and examining the tooth. She stroked her chin as she pondered the young girl's question.

"Hmm. Well how old are you?" Maya asked.

"I'm eight, nearly nine!" Trucy answered.

"And you brush your teeth every day?"

"Yep!" Trucy nodded. "Twice!"

Maya nodded, still examining the tooth. She reached into the pocket of her robes.

"_Damn it, no coins!"_ she thought to herself. Fumbling around, she found a note. She pulled it out, silently praying that it wasn't a fifty. Thank goodness, only a fiver.

"I think this will do nicely," Maya said, kneeling down once more as she handed over the money.

"Five bucks!" Trucy exclaimed. "Thank you tooth fairy! Thank you!"

"You're welcome," Maya replied. "But you must get back to bed right now. You should never have met me," she finished seriously.

Trucy nodded as she hurried back up the hallway to her room. She turned back in Maya's direction when she reached the bedroom door.

"Miss tooth fairy?" Trucy asked.

"Yes Trucy?" Maya answered, praying that this wasn't going to be another difficult question.

"What happens to all the teeth you collect?"

Maya smiled as she moved closer. Leaning down, she whispered in the little girl's ear.

"I turn them into diamonds," she said softly, pleased when Trucy gasped happily in response.

Mia had once told her the same thing, and she in turn had told Pearl when she had asked what the tooth fairy did with all those teeth. She smiled as she noted the similarities between the two little girls. She was sure Phoenix would have noticed it too.

Trucy climbed back into bed, still clutching her five dollar note.

"Good night Miss tooth fairy, and thank you!" Trucy whispered.

"Good night, Trucy," Maya smiled.

* * *

><p>Maya placed the glass of water with Trucy's tooth down on Phoenix's nightstand as she sat gently on the edge of the bed. Phoenix was asleep on his stomach, one arm tucked under his pillow. He was snoring lightly. It appeared that her little meeting in the hallway hadn't roused the sleeping dad.<p>

Gently, she ran her fingertips over his ear, tucking a few stray strands of hair behind. His hair was getting long.

"Nick," she whispered. "Nick…"

Phoenix opened his eyes groggily, pulling himself up on to an elbow as his sight adjusted to the darkness.

"Maya? Maya is that you? Am I dreaming?"

"No, you're not dreaming, Nick," she smiled, leaning down to plant a quick kiss on his lips.

Phoenix pulled himself up to a sitting position, rubbing his face and shaking off the haziness of sleep.

"What are you doing here?" he mumbled through his hands as he rubbed his eyes again.

"I had a reception over at the Gatewater," Maya explained. "I didn't think it would go so late. I wanted to surprise you."

"Well I'm certainly surprised." Phoenix said.

"Well then at least something has gone the way I planned tonight," Maya sighed as she stood, working to untie the sash around her waist.

"Bad night?" Phoenix asked.

"You have no idea." Maya replied, shrugging out of the satin robes. "By the way, you owe me five bucks," she finished, grinning over her shoulder at Phoenix as her garment pooled around her feet, leaving her clad only in lacy purple underwear.

"What?" Phoenix frowned. "Why?"

Maya grinned as she turned around, climbing up on to the bed. Phoenix snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her against him.

"I kind of ran into Trucy in the hallway," Maya elaborated. "She thought I was the tooth fairy."

Phoenix could barely stifle his laughter. He didn't want to wake Trucy again. Especially now that he had the _tooth fairy_ stripped down to her underwear.

"So you gave her five dollars for her tooth?" Phoenix finally managed, in between bouts of laughter.

"It was all I had!" Maya reasoned, unable to help from laughing herself. "What else was I supposed to do?"

Phoenix chuckled lightly as he stroked her hair.

"I'm not made of money you know. I'm going to have to call you in every time she loses a tooth from now on." Phoenix shrugged.

Maya giggled, nuzzling into the crook of Phoenix's neck.

"That's a pretty extensive tooth fairy service. I might have to charge you more than the five bucks I gave your daughter."

"And what if I can't pay?" Phoenix asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Who says I want your money?" Maya grinned, leaning in for a kiss.


	3. All Grown Up

**This one-shot is something a little different, inspired by a review left for The Rest of The Pieces that I should perhaps write something for Mia and Ben, my OC children of Phoenix and Edgeworth. I really liked the idea, so I wrote this.**

**As such, it doesn't quite fit "in between" chapters 39 and 40 of Pieces, but rather after the epilogue. Almost nine years after to be exact. **

**I've also borrowed the character of Madeline Brent from Diana Lily and Isabella, who writes excellent Edgeworth fan fiction.**

**Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

><p>Mia Wright stopped by the hall mirror to check her reflection before heading to open the front door. She knew who would be behind it, and wanted to make sure she looked her best. Her silky black hair hung straight to her shoulder blades, and the red dress she and her mother had picked out for the party hugged her body in all the right places without being too revealing, even if her mom did proclaim that her height and figure were <em>"Aunt Mia all over again".<em> After a quick makeup check and a deep breath, it was time to welcome in her guest.

Mia's stomach still did tiny back flips whenever she laid eyes on Benjamin Edgeworth, even though the days of her adolescent crush were long behind her. Childish infatuation aside, there was no denying that he was indeed a handsome man. At twenty three years old, Benjamin had become a highly successful prosecutor in London with a reputation just as fearsome as that of his father. In fact, from looking at her dad's old photographs, Mia could plainly see that Benjamin Edgeworth was the spitting image of his father, Miles, at the same age. Well, except for the striking blue eyes that he had inherited from his mother.

"Ben," Mia managed with a smile, glad that her voice came out even and not squeaky and nervous like she had anticipated it would. "I'm so glad you could make it."

"I wouldn't miss your 21st birthday, Mia," Benjamin said as he removed his scarf and jacket. "You made it to London for mine, after all."

Mia laughed awkwardly, covering her face at the memory. That was almost two years ago now, and it had been her first trip overseas. She had drunk way too much sangria and even though it was his birthday, Benjamin had taken care of her. He had brought her continuous glasses of water, held her hair while she threw up and put her to bed in his room, making sure no one disturbed her. He'd even gone as far to tell Phoenix and Maya that someone must have spiked her drink to account for her inebriated state and avoid getting her into any trouble.

"I think we'd both rather forget that," Mia said, embarrassed. "Or at least I know I would."

"I'm surprised you remember anything at all," Benjamin teased. The slight British lilt of his accent was indicative of his time spent studying there and somehow made even his taunts sound refined and sophisticated. "Perhaps it's best if you avoid the sangria this evening just to be safe."

"Lemonade," she said with a grin, raising the glass in her hand. "I promise."

"Good," Benjamin nodded with a smile.

Mia stood there for a moment, dazzled by him almost awkwardly. Was it possible that he had grown even more handsome since they had last seen each other four months ago at his fathers wedding? It seemed her crush wasn't over and done with after all. Benjamin cleared his throat after a few seconds, causing Mia to blush furiously.

"Uh... let me take your coat. I'm sorry, how rude of me." Mia said, taking the garment and moving to the hall closet to hang it with those belonging to the other guests. "Come on through. Everyone is scattered through the house, but I'm pretty sure your dad and your step-mom are with my parents and Uncle Larry in the den."

Benjamin nodded and followed closely behind her as she led them up the hallway.

"My mother sends her regards by the way," Benjamin said offhandedly. "She's caught up in a big trial right now but she wishes she could have made the trip with me."

"I was worried that she might have been a little uncomfortable, you know with your dad being here with your new step-mom," Mia shrugged.

"Oh no, not at all," Benjamin replied. "She actually introduced the two of them. Mother and Father have always had an… interesting relationship. I find it difficult to fathom that they were ever married at all."

Mia nodded in agreement. Miles and Franziska were indeed a stark contrast to the affectionate nature of her own parents. The small handful of times that she had seen the two in the same place at the same time, they had seemed rather formal with each other. Franziska was usually just as quick to lose her temper with Miles as she was with everyone else. There was never really anything about their behaviour that indicated that they had ever once been husband and wife.

"Tell her I said thank you, next time you speak to her." Mia smiled gratefully. Aunt Franziska might have had a reputation for having a short temper, but for some reason she had always been incredibly fond of and patient with Mia.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Mia said, pausing and glancing in the direction of the den and her fathers bar.

"Let me guess," Benjamin smiled wryly. "Uncle Larry has taken over all bar tending duties and is claiming to be a world class bartender."

Mia couldn't help but laugh. There had been way too many occasions where this had taken place and tonight was no exception.

"Hey, it wouldn't be a party if he didn't do that," she shrugged.

"Actually I was hoping we could have a moment alone, before we join the party. I'm a little exhausted from the trip and I'm not sure I'm ready to deal with our parents yet." Benjamin suggested, running a hand through his hair. "And also… I'd like to give you your gift."

Mia couldn't help but stare at him, not sure what to say. Was she imagining it, or was he actually blushing?

"Um, sure." she answered finally. "I don't think there's anyone in the dining room. I'll grab your drink and we can sit in there for a little while if you like."

Benjamin nodded gratefully.

"That would be wonderful, thank you."

Mia smiled at him questioningly. He _did_ look nervous. This was quite the turn of events. What exactly was this gift anyway?

"So what can I get you?" she asked, turning to head towards the den.

"Uh, Scotch, neat." Benjamin replied.

"A little heavy," Mia observed, raising an eyebrow.

"It's been a long flight." Benjamin sighed, leaning against the doorframe, the corner of his mouth turned up in a small smile as he watched Mia leave to get his drink.

* * *

><p>"Princess!" Phoenix exclaimed, extending his arms as his eldest daughter entered the den.<p>

"Hey Daddy," Mia said with a smile, manoeuvring behind the couch her father sat on with her mother and over to the bar, stopping to place a kiss atop his head.

"Look at my beautiful little girl, all grown up. Still calls me Daddy." Phoenix said smugly to no one in particular.

"Dad, you've already had too much to drink." Mia sighed. "Mom, is he drunk?"

Maya looked up at her daughter, smiling grimly as she nodded.

"Afraid so, honey." Maya said with a shrug.

"Nonsense." Phoenix said, shaking his head. "I'm fine. We're fine. Right Edgeworth? Fine," he finished, nudging Edgeworth who sat on the couch adjacent, almost toppling over the wine bottle that sat on the corner table between them.

"Absolutely." Edgeworth agreed, ironically raising his glass as a testament. "We are both a picture of sobriety and coherence."

"I'm sure." Maya said, rolling her eyes before Mia had the chance to.

Mia chuckled to herself as she headed to the bar, where of course, Uncle Larry had stationed himself.

"And what can I get the birthday girl who is now legally allowed to drink this stuff?" Larry grinned with a wink.

"Uncle Larry, can you make me a scotch, neat?" Mia asked, lacing her fingers together as she leaned on the bar.

"That's a big drink for a little girl," he said, shaking his head as he prepared the glass. "Are you sure about that order? How about a Blue Lagoon or a Mimosa?"

"I'm not a little girl, Uncle Larry, I'm 21." Mia huffed, shaking her head. "Besides, it's not for me anyway. Ben's here," she finished, unable to contain her smile.

"You hear that Edgeworth, your boy made it." Phoenix exclaimed, raising his glass to toast Edgeworth who complied by clinking their glasses.

"Wonderful, wonderful." Edgeworth proclaimed. "Tell him to come in here and join the celebration."

Mia laughed under her breath. Ben had been right to assume that he would need a stiff drink before seeing their parents. They were in fine form this evening.

"We'll be in shortly." Mia explained. "He's had a long flight and just wants a minute to catch his breath. We're just going to have a quiet drink first, Uncle Miles. I promise I won't keep him for long."

"One Scotch, neat." Larry said, pouring the caramel coloured liquid into the glass he had put down on the bar.

"Thanks Uncle Larry," Mia said with a smile, picking up the glass and heading back out of the room. "Back soon!" she called to her parents as she passed through the door.

"Sounds more like your son wants a few minutes alone with my daughter." Phoenix stated plainly, nodding knowingly in Edgeworth's direction. Edgeworth shrugged implicitly in response, his action suggesting that what Phoenix had observed was to be expected.

"Oh will you two stop it?" Maya said, exasperated. "The two of you have been teasing those poor children for years."

"Don't you think they would make a beautiful couple?" Phoenix said, almost wistfully.

"I think they can make up their own minds," Maya said, shaking her head at her inebriated husband. "You sound just like Pearl when she used to talk about us that way."

"And Pearl was right, wasn't she?" Phoenix nodded with a grin.

"That's beside the point." Maya argued. "Remember how embarrassing it was before we worked it out?"

Phoenix reached over, taking his wife's small hand in his own, just as Edgeworth's new wife returned with a glass of Merlot that she had sourced from the kitchen. She settled on to the couch beside him, her dark curls framing her pretty face. Her smile was filled with love as she watched her new husband. She didn't even seem to mind that he was a little drunk. Madeline was definitely the complete opposite of Franziska - quiet, kind and reserved, but it was plain to see that Miles was most definitely happy.

"What's wrong with wanting the kids to be just as happy as Edgeworth here?" Phoenix reasoned with his wife.

"Here, here, Wright." Edgeworth said, raising his glass to toast his friend once more.

* * *

><p>"Well, our fathers are their usual drunk, embarrassing selves," Mia said as she approached the dining table. She handed Benjamin his drink, which he accepted, nodding in thanks.<p>

"It is to be expected, I guess. They're like this every time they get together nowadays. Who would believe that they were once bitter rivals?"

Mia couldn't help but laugh. The tales of their court battles were the thing of legend. It was kind of hard to imagine them on opposing sides these days.

"Your dad looks really happy though." Mia smiled. "Your new step-mom is very pretty."

Benjamin nodded, swirling his scotch around in his glass.

"I worried about him being lonely for a long time," he admitted. "It's good to see him happy."

"He mentioned earlier that he was off on holiday somewhere in a couple of weeks?" Mia frowned, trying to recall the details. "I can't recall where though."

"Yes," Benjamin sighed. "He's taking Madeline on a vacation to Bora Bora."

"You sound a little displeased," Mia noted, watching Benjamin's facial tics.

"It's one thing to be happy, but I fear that my father is developing a penchant for frivolity in his old age," Benjamin said.

Mia smiled sadly. Her parents had told her so many stories of Miles Edgeworth's crazy work ethic as a young prosecutor. She wondered if Ben knew how much he sounded like his father likely would have at the same age.

"I wouldn't be so hard on him," Mia said, patting Benjamin gently on the hand. "Perhaps he's finally working out that there's more to life than what goes on inside the prosecutors office."

Benjamin tensed slightly as Mia placed her hand over his. She must have felt it too, as she seemed as if she was going to pull her hand away, but decided against it at the last moment.

"Not something that I am sure that I agree with." Benjamin responded, still acutely aware of Mia's hand covering his own. "You of course, wouldn't know, being pre-med and all."

"Yeah, I know. I know." Mia said, pulling her hand back and sinking back in her chair. "I feel like enough of a black sheep in this family as it is without you rubbing it in. It's bad enough that Mom and Dad are both attorneys, but Chris and Alex want to study law once they finish high school as well."

"And Elena?" Benjamin enquired of the youngest Wright sibling.

"Well, she still wants to be a princess when she grows up so maybe I've still got time to work on her." Mia laughed.

"That is if Trucy doesn't seduce her into the world of show business," Benjamin said, finishing with a magician's flourish for effect, causing Mia to chuckle more.

"Oh no," she laughed, shaking her head. "That's a real worry. I'm pretty sure Truce could talk anyone into anything so I'll have to keep an eye on her."

"Is she coming tonight?" Benjamin asked. It had been a while since he had seen Trucy Wright. She had been unable to attend his father's wedding due to a nightly show schedule in Las Vegas. Trucy's fame kept her busy a lot of the time.

"Yes, but she's not here yet." Mia nodded. "In fact, your flight brought you in quite early. None of my friends are here yet either. Pearl was here earlier, but she's ducked out to go pick up Apollo, Vera and the baby."

"I'm early and yet our fathers are already drunk?" Benjamin asked, shaking his head incredulously.

"Oh, they started before lunchtime." Mia chuckled, as Benjamin placed his head in his hands.

Silence enveloped them as Mia's giggles settled to a smile, and the two of them remained still, just watching each other for a few moments, before Mia felt a blush creeping up the back of her neck, forcing her to look away.

"So how long are you here for?" Mia asked, hoping to strike up a new conversation and stave off the charged silence between them. "I'm hoping we'll actually have some time to catch up before you fly back home."

"Actually," Benjamin began, dragging out the syllables of the word, "I'm moving here permanently. This vacation that my father is taking is the start of a sabbatical and I'm going to be taking over his position and caseload at the prosecutor's office."

He paused, trying his best to gauge Mia's expression for a reaction. "I'll be living here in LA," he finished with a small shrug, pleased when he noted Mia's eyes widened ever so slightly at his news.

"Really? That's wonderful!" Mia exclaimed, immediately regretting how excited she sounded.

"I mean, awesome," she tried to continue, coolly. "We can see each other more often, I mean, if you want."

Benjamin watched Mia as she looked away, trying her best to look calm and unaffected. He couldn't help but smile. Why were they still playing these games? Why were they still trying to convince each other that there was nothing between them when there clearly was? There always had been.

She took a deep breath and raised her glass to her lips, still focusing her sight on some uninteresting spot on the wall across the room. Benjamin found himself studying the lines of her face. Everything was perfect, from her high cheekbones to her flawless skin right through to her expressive hazel eyes. Mia Wright was a sight to behold. The slight tinge of pink on her cheeks making her all the more beautiful. They needed to stop playing these childish games. If he didn't do something soon, some other lucky man would surely beat him to it.

"Maybe we should get married," Benjamin said plainly, as simply as one might ask someone to pass the salt.

Mia choked on the lemonade that had just passed her lips. Benjamin continued to watch her, the tiniest hint of a smirk on his lips. She hated it when he looked at her like that. She could never quite tell if he was serious or not.

"Are you kidding me?" Mia cried, coughing into her hand as her cheeks flushed red. Partly from the blockage to her airways, but mostly due to the question Benjamin had just posed.

"I wouldn't kid about something this serious. You'd make a wonderful wife." Benjamin stated, still enjoying her reaction.

Mia's brow creased into a puzzled frown as she took a few deep breaths.

"I think we might have missed a step or two, Ben," she said emphatically, wondering how he could sit across from her and ask her such a question so calmly.

"Inconsequential details," he maintained, downing the rest of his drink. "You don't want to marry me?"

"Yes. I mean no. I mean this is crazy!" Mia stammered. "Shouldn't we just go on a date or something like normal people?"

Benjamin laughed.

"Look at our families. Care to elaborate on anything that has ever been normal in our lives?"

He stared at her across the table, clearly awaiting an answer to his question. Panic started to flood through Mia when she realised he wasn't just messing with her. He meant what he had just asked.

"You're actually serious."

"Have you ever known me to be anything but?" Benjamin laughed.

Mia eyed him warily. Was this really happening? Had she slipped into some sort of whacked out alternate dimension? Worse still, was this one of those embarrassing dreams? She closed her eyes tightly, praying that when she opened them, she wouldn't find herself at a biology exam in her underwear.

She opened her eyes to find that nothing had changed. Benjamin Edgeworth was still sitting across from her, waiting on a reply to his insane marriage proposal. Mia felt a sudden need to lie down.

"You don't have to accept today." Benjamin relented with a grin, confident that his brash action had staked a claim on the girl's heart that she wouldn't soon forget. "I'll convince you eventually. For now, I'll accept your offer of a date."

"That's better," Mia mumbled under her breath, still not sure of exactly what was happening.

"Ah, I mustn't forget your gift," Benjamin said, pulling a small velvet box from his pocket.

"If this is an engagement ring I'm going to be very upset." Mia said sternly.

"I promise it is nothing of the sort." Benjamin laughed. "Although I find it hard to believe that a large diamond would be capable of offending you in any way."

Mia relaxed slightly, laughing at his joke. She shook her head at him in disbelief. Benjamin Edgeworth was sure full of surprises. He handed her the small box, smiling expectantly. She glanced up at him as she opened it gently, gasping when she laid her eyes on the beautiful crystal snowflake pendant inside.

"Ben," she breathed. "It's… it's beautiful."

"I know how much you loved the snow in London when you visited," he explained. "And it doesn't snow here in LA, so I thought I would bring you a snowflake that you could keep forever."

She was shocked by such a romantic notion. This gift was picked out with such incredible thoughtfulness. How could it be possible that this was the same man who had just completely, unromantically suggested they get married only a few moments ago?

"Ben, I.. Thank you. It's the most beautiful gift."

"I'm glad you like it," he said quietly as he stood from his chair, taking the box from her hands. Mia wondered silently how he could have possibly had any doubt that she would adore the gift. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

He moved behind her, draping the necklace across her collarbone. Mia felt herself shiver at the contact of his fingertips against her neck as he closed the clasp.

She stood, turning to face him, heat rising in her cheeks as their eyes locked.

"Thank you, Ben. Really. It's amazing," she said softly before leaning forward to kiss him on the cheek. Sensing her movement, Benjamin angled his head slightly, his lips gently catching the corner of hers.

Mia pulled back immediately as if burned, her eyes wide.

"I'm so sorry… I meant… your cheek…" she stammered, her cheeks blazing red with embarrassment.

Benjamin watched her fumble for words for only a few seconds before frowning and gripping her shoulders.

"Silly woman," he breathed softly, before silencing her feeble attempts at coherent speech with his lips against hers, this time in a proper kiss.

He continued to kiss her tenderly, smiling against her lips when he felt her relax in his arms. Mia could be pretty highly strung at times but it appeared he had figured out the solution to that particular problem. This could definitely come in handy in the future.

The intrusive chime of the doorbell caused the pair to part suddenly. Mia looked around in the direction of the dining room door fearing someone was just about to walk in on them, a blush still heating her cheeks. Thankfully, no one walked through. It appeared no one else had witnessed what had just transpired between them.

"We should join the party before they come looking for us." Benjamin whispered softly, still holding Mia close. She nodded, trying hard to get her heart rate to return to something remotely resembling normality.

Benjamin released her from his grip, his fingertips trailing down her arms as he moved past her to the door.

"I'm holding you to that date, by the way," he said with a small smile. All Mia could do was nod dumbly in response. She couldn't have spoken an intelligent sentence if her life had depended on it.

From the sounds she heard in the hall as her mother opened the front door it appeared that Pearl had returned with the Justice family, and there would no doubt be more guests arriving soon. She really needed to go and splash some cold water on her face and fix her makeup.

And quite possibly explode with joy.

Benjamin gave Mia's hand a quick squeeze, winking as he passed her in the doorway and headed up the hall to join their parents in the den. Butterflies appeared instantly in her stomach the moment his hand touched hers. She couldn't help but smile pathetically at his back as he walked ahead of her.

She took a deep breath as she fingered the delicate crystal snowflake that now hung around her neck. Perhaps she shouldn't have turned down that marriage proposal after all.


	4. A Little Help

**It's a few days late but I wasn't going to miss Phoenix/Maya day, no matter how busy I am.**

* * *

><p>"Comfortable?"<p>

Maya placed a hand on her hip as she took in the sight of Phoenix relaxing in her sitting room, his sneaker clad feet propped up on her rather expensive hand carved antique tea table. His beanie was pulled down over his eyes, but she didn't miss the corner of his mouth turn upwards with a small smile at her mock condescending tone.

"Yep," he replied, not moving a muscle.

"Good." Maya sighed, ambling her way around the small table to the other side of the settee so she could sit beside him. "At least that makes one of us."

Phoenix shifted slightly, peeking out from under the beanie to watch Maya as she braced her hand at her lower back and clumsily lowered herself down to the sofa, the simple movement taking every ounce of strength and concentration that she had. Once finally seated, she leaned back and closed her eyes.

"Lucky you're so cute, Nick." she said with a small smile, nudging him playfully as she lifted her feet, propping them up on the table next to his.

"Hmm," he acknowledged, eyes once again shrouded in the cover of his blue beanie. "You need glasses."

"My vision is perfect," Maya said, turning slightly to face him, her eyes sparkling as she grinned. "Really, this whole dishevelled unshaven thing... It's really working for me."

She snatched the beanie from his head and threw it on the table, giggling as Phoenix squinted against the sudden light intrusion. She ran a hand through his hair, marvelling at how the soft shaggy spikes fell every which way without the aid of styling products. He'd been letting it grow much longer these days and she'd started to like the way it curled upwards at the nape of his neck.

Even as unkempt as he was, there was no denying that he was a handsome man. She ran her hand over his stubbled cheek, a soft smile settling on her lips as she felt him lean into her touch. He finally opened his eyes, smiling gently at her as she dropped her hand.

"Well clearly this look has been _working for you_ for some time..." Phoenix trailed off, motioning towards her protruding belly with a nod of his head.

"Clearly." Maya confirmed, leaning back on the sofa again and absently running a hand over her pregnant stomach.

Phoenix watched her, loving the look of contentment that spread across her features. Having a child at this point in his life with everything that was happening was hardly ideal, but Maya was so happy that he couldn't find it in himself to dampen her enthusiasm in any way. She'd always been like that though, tackling things head on with an unwavering belief that everything was going to work out just fine. He wished he had that kind of resolve and truly admired her for it. She already loved this baby so much and it was so amazing for him to watch her body change to accommodate the child.

His child.

Their child.

He found himself grinning at the thought. This strong, capable, beautiful woman had chosen him. And not just that - she was also willing to stick by him when things got rough. He could never quite figure out what he had done to get so lucky.

"What are you smiling about?" Maya frowned, glancing over to find Phoenix with a goofy expression plastered on his face.

"You look beautiful," he said simply.

"I look fat," she countered.

"No way," he answered automatically with a shake of his head, so quick that she knew that he meant it sincerely. She found herself smiling back at him.

"Now you need the glasses," she laughed, and he delighted at how musical her light, tinkling laugh sounded to his ears. His trips to Kurain had been so infrequent lately that it was almost heartbreaking to miss this much of her pregnancy, but he was doing it to protect her. If Kristoph discovered that he was here... with her... like this? He couldn't bring himself to finish the thought.

He slung his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. She snuggled into his shoulder and rested her hand over his chest, content to feel his heartbeat beneath her fingertips. The rhythmic beat was tangible proof that he was here with her, right now. She knew he wanted to keep her distanced from the troubles he was dealing with right now but it still hurt to not be able to fight every day by his side. She wanted to help him take care of Trucy. She wanted to be there every night when he came home from work. But she understood his concerns. She was safer here in Kurain, especially now that there was a baby to worry about.

Thanks to a cleverly doctored fake newspaper article, everyone believed that Maya Fey had married an Italian diplomat and was currently living in Europe. They owed Lotta, Edgeworth and Franziska pretty big for that one. It was a good thing that those three didn't ask too many questions.

"So you don't miss the clean cut spikes? The suit?" Phoenix asked.

Maya shrugged.

"You're you, Nick. I don't care what you look like. You could wear a fish suit and I would still think you're the hottest guy I've ever met."

"A fish suit?" Phoenix inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Maya nodded.

"Is that a suit that looks like a fish or a suit made of fish?"

"Either," Maya shrugged as if the conversation taking place was the most natural thing in the world.

"Good to know," Phoenix nodded as they settled into a comfortable silence.

She was weird. He was weird too. It worked. No wonder everyone else had seen their weird little relationship blossoming from a mile away.

"So..." Phoenix exhaled. "What do you feel like doing today? Do you think you've got the energy to go for a walk?"

Maya scrunched up her nose in way that told Phoenix that the idea of a walk sounded terrible right now, but she knew she had to get up and move around, no matter how tired she felt. Her swollen feet and ankles didn't fit into her sandals at the moment and she'd been going barefoot for about two weeks now. Thankfully the weather was warm as spring faded into summer.

"Maybe in a bit..." she bargained.

"Okay..." Phoenix relented. "But I'm holding you to that."

"I know," Maya said with a slight roll of her eyes. Phoenix was so bossy and overprotective when it came to the baby. "No need to worry, Dr Wright, I'll get my exercise."

"Yes, you will," Phoenix nodded smugly. She could throw all the sarcastic remarks at him that she wanted. He was going to take care of her while he was in Kurain whether she liked it or not.

"Actually," Maya began, scooting her body around so that she could place her feet in Phoenix's lap. "I have a job for you."

He eyed her questioningly as he placed his hands on top of the dainty feet resting in his lap, chuckling softly when she jumped slightly. She'd always had very ticklish feet.

Reaching into the pocket of her robes, she produced a small purple bottle. She grinned, jiggling the bottle in the air between her fingers.

Phoenix groaned, leaning back against the lounge and squeezing his eyes shut.

"No."

"Come on!" Maya whined. "You're so good at it."

"No," Phoenix shook his head. "I'm not doing that again."

Maya frowned pathetically, an exaggerated pout forming on her lips.

"But Nick, I can't reach."

Phoenix shook his head, exhaling heavily as he snatched the bottle of nail polish from Maya's outstretched hand, shaking the contents as she had instructed him the last time she had convinced him to paint her toenails.

"Do you have any idea how emasculating this is for me?" Phoenix asked, narrowing his eyes at her as the pungent chemical smell of the varnish hit his nostrils.

Maya couldn't help but laugh.

"Come on, Nick. This is hardly the most embarrassing thing that you've done in your lifetime. I've even got those pictures of you in college that Iris emailed me to prove it."

Phoenix laughed despite the situation as he painted his first purple line down Maya's toenail.

"Yeah, okay. Point taken."

"Did you ever think you'd be putting those wonderful art skills to such good use?" Maya chuckled, watching as he painted her toenails with deliberate, precise strokes. She wasn't just trying to bargain with him, he really was good at this.

"Somehow, I think not." Phoenix replied, shaking his head in disbelief. "Are you sure this stuff is safe for the baby?" he asked, concern crossing his face.

"Yes, Nick." Maya sighed. "You asked me that exact same thing last time too. This brand is perfectly safe for pregnant women."

"Well you can't be too careful..." Phoenix reasoned. Maya shook her head. He sure could.

Placing the cap back on, Phoenix admired his handiwork before handing the bottle back to Maya.

"There, done."

Maya swung her feet from his lap, back up on to the table so she could cuddle up next to him once more.

"Great job, Nick. Once these are dry we can go for that walk," Maya smiled, hoping her offer would placate him.

"Great," Phoenix laughed. "I guess my masculinity is a small price to pay for the health of you and our baby."

"Believe me," Maya said, angling her head upwards to place a kiss on his lips. "We wouldn't be in this predicament if you weren't all man."

He smiled as she settled against him once more.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

He moved his arm around her shoulder, resting his hand on her belly. He felt her relax against him as she covered his large hand with her own small one.

"You worry too much, Nick." she said, almost sleepily. "She'll be fine."

"She?" he snapped his head to look at her. "You found out?"

Maya shook her head, her eyes remaining closed as she snuggled into his shoulder.

"No, but I just know."

Phoenix nodded. She probably did. He'd seen far crazier things from this family.

"We're going to call her Mia," Maya added.

Phoenix leaned down to place a small kiss against her temple.

"I can't think of a better name," he smiled.

* * *

><p><strong>Happy PhoenixMaya day everyone**


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